Office kitchens set to boost employee cohesion

Workplace kitchens are being transformed into collaborative spaces in a new trend that is set to sweep the US and UK.

It has almost always been the case that office cooking spaces were an underused but essential room, which were only visited out of necessity. However, this is set to change as the fashion for using such space as a morale-boosting collaborative area gains momentum.

A number of companies in the US are already transforming their drab facilities, so that they are more like the kind of custom kitchens that Cheshire is known for.

By making their cooking spaces warm, inviting and open, firms are encouraging their staff to mingle and swap ideas, whilst also impressing their clients.

Speaking to The Los Angeles Times about the new trend, Chris Coldoff, a workplace interior designer, said:

“At home, where does interaction happen? The kitchen. It’s about making personal connections: Starting conversations that lead to a lot of creative ideas.”

One company that is taking the workplace kitchen more seriously is CBRE, which is headquartered in downtown Los Angeles. The firm has set up its office space in such a manner that its staff can sit and work wherever they like. CBRE has also added an 18-foot wooden table to its kitchen area in order to encourage interactions.

The company’s legal assistant, Nicholas Watson, claimed that it is a great idea, as it enables people to learn more about colleagues and other departments.

Many other enterprises are following suit and it is likely that most businesses will have much more attractive kitchens in the years to come.